The father of the Foxhill murder victim said he will never get over his son's death, a court heard.

Tashan Corpe was just 27 when he was fatally stabbed in a fight on the landing outside a flat in Selworthy House, Sedgemoor Road, Foxhill, on August 13, 2017.

His murderer, 31-year-old Josh Farnham, was sentenced to life imprisonment today and Farnham's former girlfriend Rachael Smith, 43, was given a suspended prison sentence for helping him flee the scene.

Farnham's sentence - a minimum jail term of 24 years - also includes prison time for intentionally stabbing Tashan's brother Devon Corpe, and assaulting his own half-sister Louisianna Santillo and two police officers on the day of his arrest.

Victim impact statements from Ms Santillo, Devon Corpe, and the father of the Corpe brothers, Adrian Corpe, were read out in Bristol Crown Court before sentencing on Monday (February 19).

Adrian Corpe's victim impact statement

The court heard that Adrian Corpe had three sons - Tyler, Tashan and Devon - with his first wife, Amanda or "Mandy", who died when Devon was just five years old. He also has an 11-year-old daughter with his second wife.

Mr Corpe said Tashan was already dead when he arrived at Foxhill on the day of the murder. He was shown his son's body before being ushered into an ambulance where he was told Tashan had died.

"I completely broke down," Mr Corpe said. "I already knew it but that made it more final. I was in complete shock."

Seeing his son's body a second time after forensic examination was complete, he said: "When I saw Tashan's body, it was very difficult. I was staring at Tashan's chest, willing it to rise and fall.

"I felt an overwhelming sense of loss I'd never experienced before and never want to experience again."

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Louisianna Santillo's victim impact statement

Ms Santillo, known locally as "Dinky", is Farnham's half sister. Farnham was known as "Dinky's violent little brother", she said.

"Growing up, Josh and I had a difficult childhood. As his older sister, I always defended him."

Ms Santillo said she spent "lots of time" visiting her brother in prison and she thought that all the rehabilitation he received would change him for the better. "I thought eventually he would come out as a changed man," she said.

Her "gran" had died just five days before she learned her brother had killed Tashan Corpe.

"The news hit me hard. I felt so numb and I was in utter disbelief."

Police in Sedgemoor Road the day after the Tashan Corpe's murder (Image: Paul Gilllis)

Ms Santillo said she has two young children and one of them has been threatened with expulsion from school because of his angry behaviour since Farnham's arrest.

She said she was no longer greeted in the same way by her neighbours and that she found Halloween upsetting as she got no trick or treaters visiting her home in Sedgemoor Road, Foxhill.

She has put in a request to move house.

"I live so close to the place where it happened. It's a constant reminder of what happened that day.

"I have to accept that the actions of my brother has impacted on me and my family."

Josh Farnham (Image: Avon and Somerset police)

She often stays in bed rather than getting up and an attempt to reduce her medication for seizures had to be reversed and the dose increased after the murder.

"I've been assessed for talking talking therapy but I have to have psychotherapy first because I'm too traumatised.

"It's had a huge impact on me."

"I feel sad that Josh has now wasted his whole life. I always saw him as the little kid and it's hard to see him as a nasty person.

"I feel sad for Tashan's family."

Ms Santillo said she cannot see herself having a relationship with Farnham in future.

"I've lost my brother," she said.

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